


Trying

by Somiko_Raven



Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Established Steve Rogers/Tony Stark, Getting Together, M/M, Multi, Polyamory, WinterIronShield Bang, almost cheating, mentioned past abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-13
Updated: 2018-02-13
Packaged: 2019-03-17 22:30:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,393
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13668645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Somiko_Raven/pseuds/Somiko_Raven
Summary: It had been years since Steve last saw Bucky, and when his old friend suddenly appears back in town, he's ready to do what he can to help him, even if that means saying yes to a date.There's a problem, though.Steve's already in a relationship.





	Trying

**Author's Note:**

> The first WinterIronShield Bang is the first bang I've written for and I'm so excited for the next one already. Please remember to look at the artwork linked below, the artist did an amazing job!
> 
> Link to Artwork at the end of the fic!

Eraser shavings were brushed off of the sketchbook and onto the table as Steve worked, his coffee cooling while it was ignored. He didn’t even notice when someone walked into the little café, pausing when they recognized him before walking up to his little table and sitting across from him. When Steve finally looked up at who had approached, he froze. “Bucky?”

Bucky grinned, glad that Steve hadn’t forgotten about him. “Hey, punk.”

“Shouldn’t I call you punk for disappearing like that?” Steve countered him, smiling back as he remembered Bucky’s old charm, even though his friend looked older, tireder, and he found himself thinking back to the last time they had seen each other.

It was right after high school graduation when Bucky left town; the boy wasn’t even out of the cap and gown before he was in the parking lot with a man named Brock, his older lover. No one stopped Bucky, not realizing that it would be the last time any of them would see him for five years.

“Yeah… Sorry, I was, uh… young, stupid, in love… God, so stupid.” Bucky sighed as he rested his head on his hand, looking down at Steve’s drawing. “Who’s that?” he asked, only getting an upside-down look of the man that his old friend was sketching.

Glancing down, Steve remembered what he was doing. He couldn’t help the feeling of warmth that ran through him, the love he felt. “Oh, that’s Tony.”

“He’s pretty good looking,” Bucky commented. “Is he a model that works with you?”

“Sort of,” Steve softly answered. “He’s really amazing.”

Bucky smiled at him. “I bet he is. So… how’s your mom?”

A sudden quiet fell over them. Of course Bucky wouldn’t know. Steve swallowed back the strong emotions quickly going from warmth to cold as he explained, “She, um… she’s dead, Buck. She got real sick… couldn’t fight it off.”

“Oh… Stevie, I… I’m so sorry,” Bucky tried telling him. “When did she…”

“A couple years ago,” Steve told him.

“So sorry…” Bucky whispered, never expecting Sarah to die so soon. He always thought she was such a strong woman with all she had done for her sickly son. “Your mom was amazing.”

“Yeah, she was,” Steve agreed, finally taking a sip from his cup and making a face after. “Cold coffee isn’t good…”

“How long have you been sitting here?” Bucky asked him, not minding the change in topic.

“Longer than I realized, obviously,” he said, setting it down. “So why are you back in town?”

Bucky met his eyes before answering, “Broke up with Brock.”

“And you decided to come back here?”

“It feels… safer,” Bucky quietly admitted. “I know people, people know me, the _real_ me…”

“What do you mean the real you?” Steve pressed. “What happened with Brock?”

“He wasn’t too good to me, Stevie. Let’s just leave it there.”

“Alright.”

There was a moment of silence between them before Bucky suddenly asked, “You and Peg ever get together…?”

“Oh… No, we didn’t. We discussed it once, a year after graduation, but we both decided that maybe staying friends would be best for both of us.”

“Yeah? So are you seeing anyone then?”

“Why, are you interested?” Steve wondered with a smile, thinking it would be a joke.

But then Bucky smiled back, turning on the charm. “Maybe I am.”

Steve froze. Was he understanding him right? “Wait… are you seriously asking me out right now?”

“I think so…” Bucky told him, drumming his fingers on the table. “I mean, I get it if you don’t want to. Dunno if you ever… saw _me_ like that, but I always… I mean…”

Steve wasn’t sure what to say. Well, technically he knew what he _should_ say, considering he really was already seeing someone, and that was Tony. They met in college; Tony was considerably younger, but he was so brilliant, Steve could understand how he managed to skip so many grades so quickly. He would often hang out with Tony and his buddy Rhodey (a nickname that Tony used constantly so it just stuck) and after a while, their friendship started evolving. It wasn’t until after graduation that anything became official, with Tony’s age and all.

The three of them were hanging out at a diner and Rhodey had gotten up to use the restroom when the conversation happened.

‘ _You know_ ,’ Tony had started, playing with one of his fries, ‘ _back in college -_ ’

‘ _We graduated just a little while ago_ ,’ Steve reminded him, giving him a smile.

‘ _Yeah. So, anyway. Back then, I actually had like the biggest crush on you, you big dork._ ’

Steve slowly nodded, and decided to just go for it; after all, they weren’t too far apart in age, right? ‘ _Do you still like me?_ ’

‘ _If I did… what would you do about it? Anything? Or would I just be turned down gently?_ ’

Steve reached over, his hand easily covering Tony’s, the younger man looking up to meet his gaze. ‘ _I would ask you on an actual date. Treat you right._ ’

‘ _Treat me right, huh?_ ’

‘ _Heard rumors…_ ’ Steve quietly admitted.

‘ _People are dicks, okay?_ ’ Tony cut him off, and Steve could hear the pain in his voice. ‘ _I don’t care what they say_.’

‘ _Still… I would give you the world if I could._ ’

Tony snorted at Steve’s comment, but managed to crack a smile. ‘ _Okay, please stop, you’re getting ridiculous now._ ’

And their relationship began to blossom.

Steve would take Tony out to modest places, lighting up when he saw his boyfriend sincerely enjoying the simple things. He could also tell the times Tony was just being polite about an idea that had not gone as well as Steve hoped, but that was alright.

The times Tony would plan the dates, he would take Steve to the expensive restaurants he enjoyed as well as the occasional gala. The formal events made Steve a bit uncomfortable as the other guests would stare at the two men together, but Tony didn't seem bothered by their judgement, just happy to be out with him.

It also came as a surprise to Steve that Tony, even though he would occasionally miss little date nights, was very much on top of the important dates. For their one month anniversary, he had gotten Steve a brand new easel, brush set, oil paints, palette, and several canvases to celebrate the occasion. Steve had stared at the gifts, feeling bad for not getting anything for Tony, but the young man just shrugged it off, saying, ‘ _Well, how about you just get me something for month two and we’ll keep it even from there?_ ’ So Steve agreed, and the next month he got Tony a wooden storage box with cute flower designs engraved into it. Tony loved it.

Things were going pretty well for them.

But what about Bucky, looking so hopeful that Steve might be interested, but also so fragile, like a rejection would just crush him? Steve took a breath, thinking he might end up regretting this, but instead he said, “I am single.”

He said it. It was an outright lie, and he would have to explain the situation to Tony later, he knew; he just hoped that Tony would understand, that he wouldn’t break up with Steve over trying to help his friend get over what sounded like an abusive ex. Sure, Bucky wasn’t talking about it, but Steve had a feeling, with the way the man was behaving.

“Yeah?” Bucky absolutely lit up. “So then, Stevie, may I ask you out on a date?”

“You may,” Steve told him, smiling at how genuinely happy Bucky looked, vaguely wondering how long it had been since Bucky really was so joyous. Was there ever a time when he had been like this with Brock?

“Great! I, uh… I really did not come looking for you just for that, by the way, I just… I needed someone… familiar. But this is great.” Bucky couldn’t stop smiling, so glad that something was finally going right for a change. “I… I have no idea what we’ll do, but I’ll think of something.”

Bucky's enthusiasm had Steve almost wishing his lie had been the truth, but he really liked Tony and didn’t want to lose him, and yet now he wasn’t sure he wanted to lose Bucky either. “So you're really excited, huh?”

Blushing, Bucky began to look really shy. Steve had to admit he actually kind of liked it. “Well, I mean… I always thought you were attractive, Steve… I know, back then, no one really took notice of you ‘cept for me, but I didn't think you'd go for me. Then I met Brock, and…” He trailed off, not wanting to continue down that road, looking as though the hurt was still very fresh in his mind.

Watching his old friend deflate again so quickly really stung, and Steve had to fight to keep his hands from becoming fists at the idea that someone had done something so horrible to Bucky, but there was nothing he could do about it without leaving town and hunting the guy down himself, and Steve knew Bucky didn’t want that. So instead, he asked, “How about we go on that date now, huh?”

Bucky started to grin, peeking at his old pal from under the hair that hung in his eyes. “I like that idea, Stevie, but…”

“But what?”

“I have no idea what we're gonna do. I don't even have cash,” Bucky softly admitted.

“Think of it as me taking you out then,” Steve suggested as he stood, taking Bucky’s hand in his own to help him up. Making sure to grab his art supplies and sketchbook before leaving, he led Bucky out of the café. Steve was going to give him a better life, and chase any memories of Brock out. He had to, for Bucky.

They left the coffee shop together, Bucky taking comfort in the gentle hold Steve had his hand in. It was nice, and so much better than Bucky was used to. Brock had been a learning experience for him. Bucky didn’t recognize the signs of abuse until it was too late, and by then he had been too afraid to leave. The mental and emotional tolls Brock took on him left Bucky feeling exhausted every single day. Brock told him that his wants and interests were silly. Why would he want this, why did he like that? Why didn't he want sex as much as Brock did? They were a couple, weren't they? It wasn’t like Bucky was going to find better anyway, right?

He finally had enough. Bucky knew living with that kind of anguish wasn't healthy, packing up what he could while Brock was at work and leaving. It was overwhelming at first ( _was Brock going to find him?_ ) but when he finally made it _home_ , he felt relief for the first time in years. He was back in his hometown, walking with his old pal on their way to their first date. Maybe they shouldn't jump into a relationship so quickly, maybe it was going to be a mistake, but Bucky didn't care anymore. He'd gladly take this mistake over all the desperate lies he told himself about Brock that justified staying for so long.

No, this was going to be better.

He knew it.

Already Steve was nothing like Brock ( _but Brock was kind in the beginning too, wasn’t he?_ ). Steve wasn’t going to drain him to the point where he just didn’t want to function anymore ( _but it took time for Brock to get that way_ ). Things were going to be different, they were going to be better. Bucky just knew it. Steve really was good.

Sighing, unable to clear his thoughts enough to relax, Bucky looked around at where they were. “I remember this area… We used to sneak around here at night.” He nodded over to the dumpster sitting in the apartment parking lot they were passing, asking Steve, “Remember when we thought it might be a good idea to try smoking?”

“And I couldn't stop coughing,” Steve remembered. “I was so sure I was going to die that night.”

“One of our worst ideas ever,” Bucky agreed, threading his fingers with Steve’s. “I was so scared I was gonna lose you. You give a man heart attacks, Stevie.”

“As long as I’m not surrounded by smoke, I don’t do that anymore, alright?” Steve tried to assure him. “I’m not gonna just die on you.”

“You better not, Rogers.”

Their walk continued with Bucky starting to lead as he remembered more. They talked about the stupidity of their younger selves, all of the dumb ideas they tried, their many moments where they thought they would die from their antics. The sun began to set, but they didn’t want to say goodbye, not yet, and eventually they came to Steve’s apartment building, Bucky’s hand still in his.

“So…” Bucky quietly spoke, not really sure what to say as he lightly rubbed his thumb over Steve’s hand.

“Want to come in?” Steve asked him.

“Sure. We didn’t really have a date, anyway,” Bucky chuckled. “Just a walk around town.”

“Who says a walk can’t be a date?” his friend wondered, leading him inside.

“Oh yes, how romantic, a walk down memory lane is precisely what a date should be between old pals.”

“Hey now, Buck,” Steve laughed as they came to his apartment, going inside. “It was great to just walk around again, just us and the things only _we_ know about each other.”

“But we were so stupid then,” Bucky whined, going inside to promptly plop himself onto Steve’s sofa. “Oh wow, this is comfy.”

“Did you expect it not to be?” Steve closed the door and passed him, heading into the kitchen. “I think I actually have good taste in furniture, you know.”

“Yeah?” Sitting up so he could see Steve over the back, Bucky asked him, “How’s the bed then?”

Steve froze.

It was a simple question, really.

A simple question that could lead down a path Steve shouldn’t be considering.

He was about to answer when he was interrupted by his phone, the catchy ringtone catching them both off guard. “Hold on,” he told Bucky, grabbing his phone and seeing the name of the caller before answering, “Hey, Tony, what’s up?”

“Oh, the hot model,” Bucky commented, trying to lean in closer.

Steve listened to his boyfriend on the other end, his eyes widening. “W-wait, seriously? Right now? … Uh, nothing’s wrong, just, I have someone over.”

Bucky raised a brow. Why was Steve acting so nervous talking to his model?

“I guess you’re right,” Steve sighed. “Yeah… Okay, we’ll see you soon then.” Hanging up, he turned to Bucky’s curious gaze. “Okay, I can explain.”

“Explain what?” Bucky asked, hearing a melodic rapping at the door not even a second later.

Steve shook his head and went to get it, opening the door to the model himself. “Told you I was close,” he told Steve, shocking Bucky when he pulled the taller man down into a kiss. “So, where’s your - oh, hello,” he said with a smile to the gaping Bucky.

“You kissed him…” Bucky muttered dumbly.

“Of course I kissed him, we’re dating.”

“You’re what?”

“See, this is what I need to explain,” Steve stated as both men turned to him. “Buck, I’m not single, I’m sorry. Tony, this is… this is Bucky, my best friend growing up.”

“Wait, wait, wait, back up, you said you were _single_?” Tony questioned him. “What the hell, Steve, why?”

“Because Bucky needed it,” he tried to argue. “He’s been hurt, Tony, I want to help him -”

“By hurting someone else? Because being cheated on really fucking hurts, you know!”

“We went for a walk!”

“Stop!” Bucky shouted, getting the other two to look at him. “Look… Steve, thanks, but this isn’t the way to do things. And, Tony, I’m really sorry, I had _no_ _idea_ that you guys were together. That sketch makes more sense now, though.”

Tony rolled his eyes. “I don’t blame you, you’re not the one that… Steve, why are you lying to him?”

“I thought I could keep it secret,” Steve told him.

“If your pal has been hurt, this isn’t the way to help him, you know that, right?” Tony continued.

“I know, I know, I just…”

With a sigh, Tony added, “And by the way, you could have just talked to me about it before deciding you were going to cheat.”

“Are you saying if I told you, you would have let me cheat on you?” Steve asked in disbelief.

“Obviously not, but…” Tony let out a frustrated breath, turning to Bucky. “I mean, he’s certainly not bad to look at, right?”

Bucky began to bite his lip as Tony stared at him, feeling a blush start to warm his face. “Not bad to look at, huh…?”

“Very handsome, actually, but Steve is a fucking idiot and even though I might consider something, I’m still pissed at him,” Tony said, glancing at Steve as he finished.

Steve was just staring back, unsure of what to make of what Tony was saying. “What exactly would you consider?” he slowly asked him.

“Well… I mean, I don’t know if you guys are…” Tony cleared his throat, very aware that he hadn’t exactly told Steve this small detail about himself before. He just never thought it would need brought up, but right now seemed like the best time to do it so he did. “I am polyamorous,” he stated, waiting for his boyfriend’s reaction. When there was nothing, perhaps from shock, he continued. “I realize if I had said something about it before, then maybe, maybe you wouldn’t have thought to lie, maybe you could have suggested something, but then again, I don’t even know if you two are poly or not, so…”

It was silent for a few minutes, Tony feeling increasingly more uncomfortable with the situation until Bucky spoke up. “What is polyamorous…?”

“Oh, it just means that I can be attracted to and love more than one person at a time,” Tony quickly explained.

“How do you know you are?”

“Well…” He turned to face Bucky. “It’s not an exact thing, but it fits… And aren’t you mad at him too?”

“Yeah, I am, but… I’m more curious about what you’re saying, I gotta admit.” Getting up from the couch, Bucky stepped up to Tony, causing him to look up in order to keep eye contact. “You know, you _are_ more handsome in person…” Tony’s mouth dropped open, words actually escaping him as Bucky lifted his hand, gently taking hold of the smaller man’s chin. “And you gotta be a pretty swell guy to land someone like Steve.”

“Wait, so… you guys are okay with this?” Steve had to ask.

“Well, you did lie,” Bucky reminded him with a look, “but... I don’t know, this… I don’t know.” He turned his attention back to Tony, who had gone quiet, just watching him as Bucky kept his light hold. “You’d invite me in?” Bucky whispered to him. “Is that what you’re trying to tell me?”

“Yes,” Tony replied, his own voice not much louder.

Bucky swallowed. “I-I…” It felt so tempting, and the other man’s lips looked so inviting. He should be more upset over… everything, but here he was, wondering if he could be happy with both of these men. It felt crazy. He couldn’t even explain what was coming over him. It was like a dream, or another world in which everything could be okay.

When Bucky didn’t continue, Steve cleared his throat. “So… are we seriously going to try a three person relationship…?”

“Well, maybe,” answered Tony as Bucky finally let go of him. “He and I,” he said, gesturing between himself and Bucky, “we don’t really know each other, so it might be pretty slow… but, if he wants to try…”

There was hesitation in the air. Bucky noticed how even though Tony had said he was mad at Steve, he didn’t really seem to act it. More than anything, he appeared to be excited at the possibility of adding another, but also unsure. Tony seemed like a pretty good guy, and yes, Steve lied and was about to cheat to spare Bucky's feelings, but… he was still the great guy Bucky had known for years, right? He wasn’t like Brock. Tony didn’t seem like he would be like Brock, but like he had said, he and Bucky didn’t even know each other.

Still, Bucky felt like he…

“If I… If we do this…” Bucky said, glancing at them both, “can we agree that… any of us can back out at any time... no questions asked?”

“Yeah, sure,” Steve quickly told him.

Tony spoke right after him, “Nobody is going to be forced to stay but communication is key. If there’s a problem, we should at least try to fix it, talk it through. That’s how relationships work, right, Steve?”

The sting was there. He was still hurt after all.

“Okay…” Steve agreed after a moment. “We try talking it out first.”

“Does this mean you’ll try with us, Buckaroo?”

Bucky licked his lips, giving him a nod after just a little more hesitation. Maybe it could work. It’d be better than his previous relationship, almost anything would.

“Great. Now… Um, please tell me you guys weren’t about to fool around,” Tony started saying, beginning to look uncomfortable again. “That would have been majorly crossing the line and I might want Steve to do his damn hardest to make it up to me.”

“Honestly?” Bucky hesitantly asked before answering, “I was going to try… Stevie never had a chance to answer before you called.”

Tony pursed his lips, not liking that, but he waved it off in the end. “I can’t really be mad at you, you didn’t know he wasn’t single.”

“No, I didn’t… but I still -”

“Hey, no,” Tony stated as he waved his finger at him. “No. No getting mad at yourself, no trying to get me mad at you, none of that, alright?”

“Okay…” Bucky whispered.

“I had been trying to figure out how to turn you down gently anyway,” Steve stepped in. “I didn’t want to go that far. I only wanted you to be happy, Buck, but not that.”

Nodding, Bucky dared to ask, “But what about now?”

“Now?”

“If we’re… if all of us are, I mean…”

“I don’t think we’re all quite ready for that step yet,” Tony interrupted him, “but later, we could probably share his bed for sleeping.”

“Do you think it can hold the weight?” Steve inquired.

“Maybe as long as we’re not all bouncing on it.”

Bucky cracked a smile, starting to like this Tony guy a little bit already. “Staying then?”

“Of course I am,” Tony said as he pushed Bucky back to the couch, causing the other to fall back onto it. “Now for you… I want to get to know you better. Is that alright?”

“That’s perfectly fine,” Bucky answered, pulling Tony down onto his lap. “Is this… okay?”

“Um… this is fine…”

Steve watched them, noticing just how quickly the two were becoming comfortable with each other. Tony was right, Steve should have discussed things with him first. They could have started together better without the ‘cheating issue’ ever being a factor, but this was how it was now. He left them for the kitchen, wishing he had just gone to Tony first. “Have you eaten yet, Tony?”

“Not yet, no…” he told him, feeling a little awkward while noticing how shy Bucky was feeling even though he was trying to hide it. “You don’t have to do things that make you uncomfortable, you know…” Tony said to him.

“Yeah, I… I know, but… I do actually want you, right here. I’m just not… used to _this_ , you know?”

“Yeah? Well… I do like the seat.”

The two then fell into a silence, only hearing Steve’s noises in the kitchen as he started preparing dinner.

“Um…” Tony started, breaking the silence first, but it was Bucky that said the first sentence, asking, “You met Steve in college, right?”

“Uh, yeah, yeah I did,” Tony answered. “He was this awkward looking thing when we first met.”

“I was starting to grow,” Steve interrupted. “Had a huge growth spurt, was eating better since I got a job.”

“I didn’t even think anything of you until the day I first went with Rhodey to the gym,” Tony started remembering with a grin. “He thought working out might help me out, but then I took one look at you -”

“And you stared at me all afternoon,” Steve finished.

Turning his attention back onto Bucky, Tony asked, “What was he like when you knew him?”

Bucky smiled as he thought back to those days. “He was a skinny little kid. Always sick but fucking stubborn, and he wanted to fight everybody that dared look at him wrong.”

“I wasn’t that bad,” Steve tried to say.

“You fucking cussed out a teacher for giving you what you called ‘the look’.”

“You didn’t see it, Buck, but it was there, she did it and she knew it.”

There was a snort and giggle as Tony tried to imagine a younger Steve Rogers cussing out a poor teacher. Bucky liked the sound, enjoyed the smaller body against him as the man vibrated with laughter. This was really nice already. Before coming back, Bucky had been so worried about… well, everything. He thought that Brock had sapped every last feeling of joy from him, but now, back with Steve and the man's boyfriend Tony, he was finding he could laugh easier, he felt freer. Yes, it was a bit of a rocky start with Steve lying at first and willing to cheat on his lover for him, but it was a minor mishap, and it wouldn't happen again, Bucky was sure of it. After all, this was Steve, not Brock.

Bucky kept Tony in his lap as they both talked about Steve, feeling very comfortable in his company. If Bucky had never left, if he had never had his mind and heart repeatedly fucked over by Rumlow, Bucky wondered if he would have gone for Tony himself, maybe before Steve ever had a chance.

Tony was just so open, so friendly, talkative. Bucky quickly grew to love his laugh, going as far as making bad jokes just to try and hear it. Things were going so well, but then he had to ask Tony, “So you're a Stark? Is your father really Howard? He always seemed like such a smart guy.”

“Um, yeah…” The change in demeanor was instant. Bucky couldn’t understand why mention of his father set Tony off so bad so fast, but it did. Tony quickly closed up, no trace of the man that would gladly and enthusiastically talk about himself there. Bucky knew he had fucked up, it was painfully obvious to anyone, but how was he supposed to know? He had no idea what went on with the Stark family behind closed doors.

Bucky peeked over to Steve, silently asking for help. “The food's probably done,” he offered to try and de-escalate the problem.

“Oh, good,” Tony said almost instantly, just about jumping from Bucky’s lap.

As Bucky stood and walked over to Steve, he wanted to know what it was about Howard that caused such a change in Tony, but Steve only told him, “Not yet; we’ll talk later, alright?”

“Promise?” After a nod, Bucky then asked, “No lies?”

“No lies,” Steve assured him, heading back to the kitchen with him.

Things slowly picked up as they ate, Tony starting to relax again. Bucky avoided any mention of Howard, choosing instead to ask about what Tony did, and he was hit with a whirlwind of words as Tony began to animatedly explain his passion for robotics and artificial intelligence. “I've been working on one, Steve knows this, to be like a personal assistant. He'll take my calls, schedule whatever, keep me on track. What he doesn't know is who it's based on.”

“I didn't know it was based on anyone in particular,” Steve said, bringing his fork to his mouth.

“Remember the butler I told you about from when I was a kid?”

“Yeah, the one that pretty much raised you? His name, uh…”

“Was Jarvis,” Tony finished for him. “That's the same name as my first AI.”

“You named it after a butler you had?” Bucky asked.

“Well, like Steve said, he pretty much raised me. I… I really miss him. So yeah, I named the AI after him, designed it after him…”

“Tony… I…” What could Bucky say? Being raised by his butler instead of his father...

“About my father…” Tony began, breaking Bucky’s train of thought as he folded his arms over his chest and leaned back in his chair. “He wasn’t… great. I mean, that’s putting it really nicely, I guess. But it’s true. My father was horrible.”

“Was he?” Bucky softly asked him. “He seemed like such a brilliant man.”

“Yeah, well, he was, but… that didn’t make him a great person,” Tony explained. “Um… the guy was really… rough with me. I guess you could maybe call it strict…”

“He was an ass,” Steve butt in. “He visited Tony at school once, _once_ , and the guy pretty much mocked him in front of the entire lobby.”

“He was drunk -”

“It’s no excuse, Tony,” Steve sighed.

“But it doesn’t matter now,” continued Tony, seeming to curl up more. “Everyone’s dead, so it doesn’t matter…”

Bucky slowly nodded. He had completely forgotten about that. It had been all over the news. “Car accident, right?”

“Don’t even know how the hell it happened; Jarvis never wrecked… but he was in the driver’s seat when help arrived… Dead at the scene, all of them.”

“I’m sorry…” Bucky said. “To lose everyone like that, so suddenly, I…”

“In the past now… Nothing will bring them back, anyway.”

It went quiet again after that. Once everyone was finished eating, Steve cleaned up, setting the dishes in the sink to wash later. Tony didn’t quite leave the table, not sure if he would be staying or not. He should head home, maybe try getting some more work done, but then he wasn’t sure what his boyfriend and… almost/maybe boyfriend were going to get up to without him there. He knew now that Steve had no problem lying, no issue with dating another man behind his back. He said that he would have declined sex with Bucky, but really, who could say no to sex with him? Tony had to admit he almost wanted to jump on Bucky himself, but he was holding back. They didn’t know each other. If this wasn’t going to work, he didn’t want to make that mistake. As it was, they already had to mend what Steve had broken.

Tony knew he was letting Steve off easy, could feel his insecurities begin to intensify with this latest event. He had been trying to convince himself that Steve wouldn’t betray him, that he was paranoid if he even entertained the thought, but now… Now it was a little bit more than just paranoia. It had happened, and Tony didn’t care about the reason why.

Steve could have called him about this. They could have worked something out then, maybe even through texting. They could have discussed the lines Tony didn’t want him crossing, they could have decided how far was too far.

Tony wouldn’t have allowed sex, but kissing? Probably. Did they really need much more?

“Do you both want to stay tonight?” Steve suddenly spoke, startling Tony out of his thoughts.

Bucky lounged on the couch. “Yeah, I do. I don’t really have anywhere else to go anyway,” he admitted to them.

“You don’t?”

“You can stay with me, if you need it,” Tony told him. “I have plenty of room at my place.”

“Or you can stay here,” said Steve. “Either way, you’ll be safe from _him_.”

Tony looked over at Bucky then. “Who is ‘ _him_ ’?”

“My ex…” Bucky quietly explained to him. “His name is Brock.”

“Well, he sounds like an ass,” Tony said as he moved from the table finally. “Anyway, we can all crash here for the night. Steve, you don’t mind, right?”

“No, I don’t mind at all,” Steve replied. “In fact, I actually welcome that. My bed’s not too big, but I’m sure we can find a way we all fit.”

“As long as we aren’t all bouncing,” Tony said again. “We shouldn’t have a problem.”

Sitting up, Bucky shyly asked, “So we’d actually all sleep together? The three of us?”

“Does that idea make you uncomfortable?” Tony wondered. “I promise I don’t take up too much room.”

“No, it’s not that, it’s more… you really don’t mind?”

“I really don’t mind,” Tony assured him. “I kind of like you, from what I know so far. Steve is… not going anywhere.” He flicked his gaze over to his boyfriend as he said it. “And if you stay in town, you’ll be around constantly anyway. I still am serious about trying an _us_ , as in all three of _us_ , and I hope you guys are too, but if you’re already having second thoughts, then we probably should just quit before any of us get too involved in the idea.”

“No, I’m not having second thoughts,” Bucky tried to tell him. “Really, I’m not. I do want to try, it’s just, we just met, and… not under the best conditions.”

“Bucky, if I had an issue with it, I wouldn’t have suggested it in the first place,” Tony pointed out, “but if you have an issue with it, then say so.”

“I don’t,” Bucky said.

“Good. Maybe some television before bed then?” Tony suggested, glancing to Steve.

“Sounds like a good idea to me,” Steve answered.

“Great, I’ll get the popcorn ready then,” Tony announced, going to a cabinet.

Steve stepped into the living room, sitting with Bucky on the couch. “What do you think of Tony, huh?” he asked now that they had a moment to themselves since Tony’s arrival.

“He’s definitely different,” Bucky answered. “I haven’t met someone like him before.”

“Yeah, Tony’s definitely a unique guy,” agreed Steve, snatching up the remote.

“What did you see in him?” Bucky curiously asked him. “I'm not tryin’ to be rude, I just wondered.”

Steve grinned, glancing back at the man that had won him over. Tony had already tossed the bag of popcorn into the microwave and turned it on, and was now searching for a bowl big enough for it. “I guess he just sort of grew on me… It's not easy to answer.”

“Is it weird I want to protect him already?” Bucky wondered. “I really hope no one treats him the way Brock treated me.”

“I wanted to protect Tony soon as I got to know him,” said Steve. “There were… rumors about what he'd been through.”

“Yeah?”

“He says there's no truth to them, but I don't know.”

“Steve… what kind of rumors? Something other than his old man being a dick?”

Steve sighed; he didn't want to be the one to tell him. He already betrayed Tony enough today with his ‘brilliant’ idea of cheating on his boyfriend to help his best friend. “You'll have to ask Tony about those. I don't think he'd want you knowing.”

“So it's that bad, huh?” Bucky asked, turning his gaze to Tony. “He's younger than us too, isn't he?”

“A little, yeah. He skipped some grades.”

“Mm… So young and yet…”

Silence greeted Tony as he returned with the popcorn. “What's up?” he questioned the two of them.  “Were you guys talking about me?”

“Maybe,” Steve replied, pulling Tony down between them.

“Please tell me they were good things.”

“Only good things, doll,” Bucky murmured, nuzzling into the soft curls.

“Hm, I like that,” Tony purred, holding the bowl on his lap. “Keep calling me doll.”

“Whatever you want, doll.” Bucky smiled when Steve reached an arm over to put it around them both, and settled in for whatever they were watching. He felt safe with these two. It was so different to what he had grown used to with Brock, and he loved it. Nothing had to happen; there was no feeling of dread over needing to consent just to keep the peace. Steve and Tony weren't going to pressure him, force him, anything. He could just relax.

And yet, the old feelings eventually came back to him, and he knew, he _knew_ these feelings were unnecessary. Trying to convince himself completely though, that was going to be a challenge.

Neither man even brought sex up again, but Bucky's anxiety over it refused to let up. In fact, it seemed to worsen as it grew later, because soon it would be time for bed, which would then mean…

 _They won't make you_ , he tried telling himself. _They're not like that. I know they aren't._

 _Do you, though?_ He couldn't ignore that doubt. _It's been years since you've seen Steve and you just met Tony. How can you claim to know them already?_

The truth was, he couldn't.

But before his mind could torture him further with those nagging feelings, he felt Tony resting heavier against him, and Bucky peeked to find that the younger man had fallen asleep on him. It was cute, and Bucky couldn’t help his smile. He looked over to Steve and saw that he was starting to doze as well. “Guess it's bedtime, huh, punk?” he whispered to his old friend, trying not to let the sudden shyness that fell upon him choke his words. _Please don't suggest anything more than sleeping, Stevie, please…_

It was true that earlier Bucky was the one hoping something would happen with Steve, but now it was late, it was a different situation, and he didn't want to do it anymore. The very idea felt too much like Brock.

“Mm?” Steve turned to him, then glanced down at the sleeping Tony between them. “Guess it is, yeah…”

“Want me to help move him or are we stayin’ here?” Bucky wondered, watching as Steve seemed to really think the idea over.

“Don't wanna move,” Steve softly laughed. It was like old times when the two of them had hung out, falling asleep watching television together, or one drifting off while watching the other play a one player game. “I don't want to risk waking him either. Tony doesn't always sleep like he should.”

“No?” Bucky asked, but as he received no answer, he had to figure that maybe his voice wasn't heard. Looking to Steve again, Bucky saw that he had actually fallen asleep just that quickly. With a sigh, Bucky closed his eyes, listening to the television. He didn't know when he finally fell into a dreamless sleep, but when he next opened his eyes, the sun was out, Tony had snuggled closer to him, and Steve was already gone.

“Hey… Tony,” he tried, attempting to nudge the other man awake. When it didn't work the first time, Bucky tried again, seeing those brown eyes finally open. “Morning, sleepyhead.”

Tony slowly moved off of him, stretching as he sat up. “What time is it?” he yawned, but Bucky could only shrug. “Alright… um…” He reached into his pocket to retrieve his phone, checking it. “Oh wow, no wonder Steve’s gone.”

“So what time is it then?” Bucky asked.

“It's almost eleven,” Tony answered, putting his phone away. “Steve has to be on the clock already.”

“Hourly job, huh? Sucks, he could probably get by on his art alone,” Bucky said, remembering the amazing sketch of Tony Steve had been working on when he found him.

“It's not so easy to get noticed,” Tony told him as he rose to his feet. “And even if you do get noticed, you need an audience willing to pay the proper price rather than forcing you to go too cheap.”

“Seriously? But Steve's got the talent to be huge.”

“People don't care so much about the arts anymore,” Tony sighed. “They want it for free or incredibly cheap. And the ones that do care can't afford the proper prices.”

Bucky shook his head. It was horrible that Steve couldn't just focus on his passion for a living, needing to earn income another way. “I had no idea it was so hard…”

“No, I know, but yeah, that's why he has an hourly job.”

“Mm… So… You, you said stuff about robotics last night? Is that your day job, or do you do hourly too?”

“Well, actually, you remember my father, right?” Tony replied, watching Bucky's eyes widen with realization. “Yeah, I inherited quite a bit.”

“I can't believe I forgot you're his son,” Bucky softly said. “Fuck, I'm sorry.”

“Hey man, it's okay. It happens. We just met last night, just woke up -”

“But you got so upset when I mentioned him before,” Bucky cut in. “I shouldn't have forgotten that. Tony, I'm so sorry. I had no idea before that he wasn't such a great guy, but please don't act like it's okay for me to just forget something so important.”

“Why not? I wish I could forget,” Tony admitted, turning away from him to head into the kitchen. “It really is okay if you do sometimes, alright?”

“But…” Bucky didn't know what to say, still feeling the guilt cling to him.

“So an ex of yours was brought up last night, right?” Tony suddenly asked, catching Bucky off guard.

“Uh, yeah. Brock…”

“Sounds like he wasn't too good either.”

Bucky shook his head, quietly telling him, “He wasn't. Really wasn't. Could we please not talk about him?”

“Only if we don't talk about my dad.” Tony looked back at him, awaiting Bucky's answer.

Sighing, Bucky gave him a nod. “Alright…”

“Good.” Tony began pacing in the kitchen before he stopped and turned to Bucky again. “And you really didn't know Steve was seeing someone already?” he wanted to know.

“I really had no idea,” Bucky stated.

“Did he seem guilty about _anything_ last night? Before we met?”

“Not that I could really tell…”

“So he was totally okay with the whole cheating thing then? Do you really think he would have said no to you about fooling around?” Tony kept going.

“I don't know…”

“But he didn't even seem guilty -”

“Tony, please stop.” When there was a quiet pause, Bucky stood up, approaching the smaller man. “Look. I don't know what he was thinking. I don't know what he would have done if you hadn't shown up. Tony, I know you're pissed, but last night you brought up maybe all of us…”

“I know what I said, but that doesn't mean I'm not still hurt by it.”

“I know.” Bucky sighed and lowered his voice, stepping closer to Tony. “I know. I'm sorry we hurt you.”

“Not you, Buck, you didn't know, how can I blame you?” Tony closed the gap between them, his arms going around the other man's waist. “Steve made a bad choice, a very bad choice.” Sighing, he felt the need to add in, “But I guess if I had been honest about myself from the beginning, maybe he would have tried calling me first, or something… or he could have dumped me right then.”

“What do you mean?” Bucky asked, not following.

“About the poly thing,” Tony explained. “It's not exactly… you know, _normal_ . Most would expect _me_ to cheat. Actually they already think that even without the poly thing involved, but that just… they act like it proves their point.”

“And who are ‘they’?” Bucky wondered.

Letting go, Tony took a couple steps back. “People, you know. Old classmates. Old exes. Just, people.”

“Yeah, well I don't think you'd cheat,” Bucky told him, “but I never thought Steve was a cheater either and then…” He shrugged. “Guess now we just… figure all this out, huh? Try to make something work for all of us.”

Tony nodded. “He wasn't supposed to be a cheater,” he sighed. “Maybe it's because it's you. You're his old pal, best friend; hell, for all I know, his first crush, he'd do anything for you.”

“For you too, I'm sure,” Bucky tried pointing out.

“I'm the one that he betrayed.”

“I know.” Bucky stepped up to Tony. “ _I_ wouldn't betray you though.”

“Look at you, getting all protective already,” he teased, but Tony couldn't help feeling touched.

“You bring it out of me. I just want to protect you, keep you happy and safe. With Brock, I needed that kind of person around, but I want to _be_ that person for you.” Bucky started looking a little shy as he whispered, “Does that even make sense?”

There was a brief moment of pause before Tony quietly said, “Not everything in life makes sense. In fact, most of it doesn't.”

Nodding, Bucky said, “Yeah, that's true.”

“Yeah… Like how I'm already willing to just… accept someone I don't know into my relationship. Or how I just…”

“How you just what?” Bucky wondered, waiting for the rest of that statement.

“I'm trying to forgive Steve,” Tony sighed. “I haven't yet.”

“And for this to work at all…”

“I'm going to need to forgive him, be able to trust him. If I can't, then… all of this will be for nothing. Any relationship needs trust… and he really blew it yesterday.”

“Tony… if I hadn't asked, he probably would've stayed loyal,” Bucky told him.

“I know that… His loyalty to you is just stronger than any loyalty to me.”

Bucky watched him, wanting to say something, but he couldn't figure out what. It hurt that he had caused so much frustration and distrust without meaning to, simply because he asked his old pal on a date, and it wasn't even that much of one. “We really did just walk around town,” he tried telling Tony. “We talked about the past, how stupid we were as kids. No kissing. It was more like… a platonic date, you know?”

“Really? Totally platonic?”

“Yes. That's all it was.”

“Are you sure? I don't know, Bucky… What if…”

“Look, I know he messed up, but please don't throw out what you had on a ‘what if’...” Bucky pleaded. “It's my fault. Not his.”

“Also your fault that you'll be part of ‘ _us_ ’,” Tony stated, “and I can't bring myself to be mad about that.” As Bucky stared, he tried to explain. “You don't seem like a bad guy, okay? And yes, you are incredibly attractive, and I honestly do want to give you a chance. I just wish we could have met under better circumstances.”

“Heh… Yeah, I agree with that.” Bucky sat on the back of the couch as he looked up at Tony. “So… what do we do now?”

“We could go annoy Steve,” Tony suggested. “I am feeling a little hungry.”

“Are you telling me he works with food?”

“Uh huh.” Tony offered a hand to Bucky, pulling him to his feet after he accepted. When Bucky didn't let go, he began to say, “Why are you -” but he was cut off by the man's lips on his own, softly sighing into the sudden kiss.

As they parted, Bucky began to blush. “Uh, s-sorry about that.”

“N-no, don't be sorry.”

“I just, since we're trying dating… are we really official yet, or did I just…”

“Bucky, Bucky, official, we are, yes. We are officially dating, all three of us,” Tony was quick to assure him.

“Okay… Okay, cool. Cool.”

There was a hesitant pause before Tony started pulling Bucky towards the door. “Come on, let's go if we're going to annoy him.”

“Right…”

“You're so cute when you're shy,” Tony teased as they left Steve’s apartment, grinning at the blush he was rewarded with. “That's a really good color on you, you know.”

“Tony…”

“No, really, I love making guys blush, and it looks so great on you, you have no idea.”

As they reached the door leading outside, Bucky wondered how his life had managed to change so quickly within just a day. Life with Brock felt like it was ages ago. Yes, they were having some complications with this new relationship, but it felt so incredibly hopeful. Bucky didn't want to lose Steve or Tony; they just had to get past that first “date” between Steve and himself if they were going to make this whole thing work.

As they arrived at the same café Bucky had found Steve in before, Bucky was taken out of his thoughts as Tony led him to the barista. Tony flashed a bright smile up at the worker, and it took another moment for it to register to Bucky that they were standing in front of Steve. “Didn't think you guys would be coming out here today,” Steve remarked.

“Yeah, like I'm really going to miss an opportunity to annoy the hell out of you,” Tony said, leaning on the counter. “Besides, I think you deserve it after yesterday.”

Steve gave a small smile to his boyfriend. “Yeah, I probably do.”

“There's no probably about it, sweetheart. You messed up.”

“Tony,” Steve sighed, “please not here, not now.”

“I'm not,” Tony promised, “but maybe the usual?”

“Alright, your usual.”

“Bucky, do you want anything?”

Bucky shook his head as Steve started preparing Tony's drink, wondering if nothing else would be said on the subject while they were here. He was starting to feel the dread he had become so used to while still with Brock, like he was drowning. He didn't know how to stop it. _They don't want or need you_ , a voice whispered in his head, trying consume him.

Luckily he was able to return to the present after Tony touched his arm. “Maybe we should have him bring it to us, huh?” he suggested as Steve was working on the finishing touches.

“You could wait a few more minutes,” Steve stated but he heard Tony leading Bucky away to a table while clearly saying, “Nope.”

Sitting at the table, Bucky couldn't help staring at Tony, wondering why someone like him would ever want to date a guy like Bucky. Tony Stark was definitely intelligent, following after his father, but he had also been hurt, before Steve had ever dated him. But why would anyone ever want to hurt him? Tony never once acted as though he was better than either of them, never tried to be controlling to get his way. He was just trying to forgive Steve for his actions.

“You alright?” Tony finally asked him, wondering why Bucky's eyes had stayed on him for so long.

“Uh, yeah,” Bucky quickly answered. “Sorry. Are you alright?”

“Why wouldn't I… Ah, right…” Tony allowed his gaze to drift over to Steve as he took another customer, Tony's coffee sitting on the counter. “I'm okay. Or at least I will be.”

“Was it really okay to come here?” Bucky had to ask. “You don't need a break from him?”

“I… I don't want to do that.” He looked at Bucky as he went on, “I know it was a mistake, and I know I want to keep him. I'm just worried if I did take a break from him, how long would he wait? And also, would I lose both of you then?”

Tony's words surprised Bucky. “You don't want to lose me?”

“No, I don't,” replied Tony. “You're a really good guy, Buck. I know we just met, but yeah. And I know you're hurting too, and I really want to be there for you if you'll let me. We can help each other out.”

“Really…?”

“Yes. Even if this relationship doesn't work out, we can still be there for each other as friends, right?”

“What if then we're both hurt from the breakup? If the relationship is over…” Bucky softly asked him, not too sure about that idea.

“Oh.” Tony seemed to deflate as he thought it over. “Guess you're right…”

“I'm not saying I wouldn't want to stay your friend, but we'll all need our space for awhile,” Bucky tried to explain. “But after that? I think if we could put everything behind us, maybe we really could be great friends.”

“Yeah, you're right, I just didn't think about that part.”

With a nod to Tony, Bucky turned his attention to Steve, seeing him writing on what he thought was Tony's cup. He needed to help one more customer before he was finally able to come over with Tony's coffee, setting the cup on the table for him. “It should be drinkable without burning yourself by now,” he told his lover.

“Thanks, Steve,” Tony told him, a small smile appearing on his lips. “You're too good for me.”

“Tony, your word choice…”

“Is accurate,” he finished. “It's true. Too good for me.”

“But that's not true,” Steve tried countering. “If we're really saying things like that, then the complete opposite would be true instead.”

“Please don't start arguing over this,” Bucky groaned, already not in the mood for listening to them. “Just be glad you have each other.” As he watched Steve and Tony look at each other, he said, “You guys seem like a really good couple, and I don't want to be the reason there's a rift between you.”

“Bucky, there's not going to be a rift,” Tony sighed.

“And if there was, it would never be because of you,” added Steve. “None of this is your fault.”

“You didn't know.”

Bucky sighed. “You guys… Thanks for saying so, but I still feel responsible, okay? I started this mess by coming back, and I…”

Looking over at the counter, Steve told them, “I'll try to take my break soon, then we can talk more. It's still not your fault, Buck.”

“But, Steve…”

“He's right, Bucky,” said Tony, reaching across the table to lightly hold onto Bucky's arm. “None of it is blamed on you, okay? We don't want you blaming yourself either.”

“Tony, I…”

“Don't leave us, okay?”

Bucky looked up at him. “I'm not going to leave…”

“You're saying coming back was a bad idea, how are we supposed to take it? We know you've had a bad experience. I don't want you thinking you should go back to that shit because you believe you fucked us up. We'll work it out, get passed it. Please, Bucky…”

“I… I won't go back, Tony,” Bucky tried to assure him. “I just feel a bit…”

“A bit what?” Steve asked him, but Tony started nudging him away from their table.

“You have work to do, come back when you're on break,” he stated.

“Fine…”

After Steve was gone, Tony turned back to Bucky again. “Buck…”

“Feel unwelcome…” Bucky quietly admitted.

“Why?”

“You're trying, yeah, but I'm still an outsider. I don't know if I'll ever really feel comfortable in this… You guys have had each other for awhile now, and I feel like I gave up any right to be with him years ago…”

“But he does want you, that's why he agreed to a date,” Tony pointed out. “I don't care what he says, if he felt absolutely nothing for you, if he wasn't attracted to you at all, he never would have said yes.”

“But he's not…”

“Not what?”

“Not… like you.” Bucky shyly his behind his hair. “He's not poly.”

“Are you sure about that?” Tony questioned him. “I bet he never had the opportunity to really explore it.” Bucky stopped to think about that. “It's not something you just automatically know about yourself, more something you feel until you find out it's not just you being unfaithful with your feelings, there's a word for it and other people that feel that way,” Tony explained. “He never looked into it, I'm sure.”

“So you think he is…?” Bucky whispered.

“Maybe,” Tony answered. “I can't be positive, that's his business, something he needs to figure out for himself, but… maybe.” Bucky let out a shaky breath, Tony seeing just how unsure of everything Bucky was in his expression. Tony felt guilty, realizing that the focus had been on Steve's actions for far too long. Bucky needed reassurance, he needed someone on his side after all that he had been through. He wasn't in town for long before he had to deal with another stressful situation, and Tony wondered now just how the man was dealing with everything deep down. “I'm sorry.”

“For what?” Bucky asked him, confusion in his voice.

“For forgetting how hurt you are. You've had to leave your ex after years together, you try to find comfort in an old friend, and we've just been caught up in our own thing.”

“It's fine, Tony.”

“No, it's not,” he argued. “You need help too…”

Bucky didn't say anything until Steve came over, finally on his break. “I just want you guys to be okay.”

“We will be,” Steve told him. “I promise.”

“Can I trust that, Stevie? Can either of us trust you to not go dating anyone else?”

“You can, Bucky. I'll never do it again.” He hesitantly peeked at Tony as he spoke. “I have everyone I could ever want, I don't want anyone else.”

Tony didn't respond right away, turning so he could look Steve in the eyes. “You mean that? No more betrayal?” he questioned Steve.

“I mean it, Tony. No more.”

“We're gonna hold you to that, Stevie,” Bucky said, reaching across the table to hold onto Tony's hand, and then holding Steve's as well with his other. “And we're all gonna be okay…?” He wanted to feel hopeful but was nervous about them, not knowing if they would be able to get past this.

“We'll be okay, Buck,” Steve told him. “Right, Tony?”

The younger man slightly smiled at them both. “Right, Steve, we'll be okay,” he said.

“Tony…”

“You said yes to a date to help comfort your friend, yes I know, and you weren't going to go further. The date could even be said to have been platonic at the time.” Tony ran fingers through his hair as he stared at his boyfriend. “I forgive you, Steve, but… you'll need to earn that trust back. I still think you probably agreed too easily and… we wouldn't be this close still if you weren't on board with the threesome idea.”

Steve nodded, glad to hear that at least Tony forgave him. “Thank you, and yeah, I know,” he said before letting out a sigh. “I won't do anything that causes either of you to doubt me again, alright?”

“I really hope not, or I'd have to actually dump you, and I really don't want to,” said Tony. “And Rhodey would probably kick your ass.”

“He probably would,” Steve agreed.

“Is that a friend of yours?” Bucky asked, wanting to shift the conversation in a different direction already.

“Oh, Bucky, honey, he's like, my very best friend,” Tony explained, looking so giddy and excited as he talked about his pal. “Rhodey was the first to talk to me in a friendly way when I started at MIT, he was my roommate, he -”

“He's basically Tony's big brother, just not by blood,” Steve cut in before Tony could start rambling about him. “The two were inseparable during school.”

“Yes! Actually, my old man was quite the playboy in his youth, there could always be a chance…”

“Didn't you already bring up that possibility to him?”

“Yes.”

“And what did Rhodey say to you?”

“A very definite no.”

Bucky sat back and simply watched them continue, listening to Tony's stories about what he and Rhodey used to do at MIT, which apparently included the man often telling Tony not to do something if it seemed too dangerous. Tony though? Well, he would always do it anyway, and they would then suffer the consequences together.

Bucky looked forward to meeting Rhodey, but when the stories started including Steve in them, Bucky found himself laughing. The skinny Brooklyn boy that would always be ready for a fight was still hidden in Steve, he just became a little more mature about his fighting, throwing more words rather than punches. Bucky was actually glad for that.

“He asked me out at a diner,” Tony giggled, the conversation finally coming to when they first got together. “Rhodey had left us to use the bathroom.”

“You brought up that you had a crush on me,” Steve calmly reminded him. “Before that, I didn't realize you were interested.”

“Right, so we talk some more, and… he asked if I still felt that way. I did… do…” Tony gave Steve a smile. “Don't think that will ever change.”

“I don't think I could ever stop loving you,” Steve replied.

Tony's smile widened and he looked at Bucky. “Do you want to tell me about your life with Steve?”

Bucky sent a grin Steve's way before diving into the past for Tony, telling him all sorts of stupid things, feeling proud whenever he managed to make Tony laugh. It wasn't such a difficult feat, but he still felt accomplished. Every now and then, Steve would butt in, with Bucky trying to regain control of the tale.

They all had a great time, for the moment forgetting the pain, the broken trust, and just got to know each other. It was a great start to their new relationship.

“You guys really aren't like him at all,” Bucky finally voiced out loud.

“Like who?” Tony asked him.

“Brock… my ex.”

“Well, I would certainly hope we're not.”

“You aren't,” Bucky assured him, feeling that maybe he could really be happy here, with both of them. It was very unfamiliar territory for him, Steve too, but he felt confident that if they wanted to, they could make it work. Like Tony had said in the beginning, they would need communication, and hopefully there wouldn't be another issue.

And even if they didn't work out as well as they were all hoping, at least they could say that they tried.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Art for : Trying](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13668963) by [Lasenby_Heathcote](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lasenby_Heathcote/pseuds/Lasenby_Heathcote)




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